Undergraduate Neuroscience Education at Cornell University Carl D

Undergraduate Neuroscience Education at Cornell University Carl D. Hopkins Department of Neurobiology & Behavior Neuroscience Departments and Programs Spring Conference 2011 March 25, 2011 Washington, D. C.

Neuroscience at Cornell Pharmacology Physiology Molecular Physiology Theoretical & Applied Mechanics Molecular Medicine College of Veterinary Medicine Engineering Physics Bio. Medical Engineering College of Engineering Electrical & Computer Eng. Human Development Nutritional Sciences Program in Neuroscience NBB Psychology College of Arts and Sciences Mathematics Weill Cornell Medical NYC College of Agriculture and Life Sciences y College of Human Ecology WMC Qatar Neurobiology & Behavior

Undergraduate Programs in the Neurosciences • • Biology Major (Neurobiology and Behavior Concentration): One of 13 Programs of Study within the major. Psychology Major

includes sophomores, juniors, seniors Students generally register for a program of study by the end of their freshman year.

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study The NBB Program of Study Requirements (in addition to the core biology major) 1) Two Introductory NBB courses (8 credits total) • Bio. NB 2210 Introduction to Behavior • Bio. NB 2220 Introduction to Neuroscience 2) 7 additional credits As least one 3000 or 4000 level course for 3 or 4 credits, plus one or more NBB courses (“special topics” (4200) OR “research” (4990) are OK)

• semester course 3 credits lecture only 4 credits with 75 min discussion 5 credits (writing intensive) • 180 -200 students • Team taught (6 -8 lecturers) Fetcho, Harris-Warrick, Bass, Linster, Johnson, Hoy, Hopkins, Booker

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Lecture Format

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Lecture Format • Lecture Notes with leaning objectives, study questions, figures, links • Video recall with faculty • Animation of dynamic processes

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Lecture Format • Lecture Notes with leaning objectives, study questions, figures • Video recall with faculty • Animation of dynamic processes Team Teaching • Fall planning, Spring review • Joint exam writing and grading • Exam results, analysis, and comments

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Active Learning (all students) • Test Bank and Weekly Quizzes • Study groups

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Active Learning (all students) • Test Bank and Weekly Quizzes • Study groups • Computational Exercises

Meeting Some of the Challenges in Teaching Introductory Neuroscience Active Learning (Discussion Sections) • Brain Lab • Drosophila Behavior Lab • Stereovision Lab • Journal Club • Problem Sets

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study Some advanced NBB courses: Drugs and the Brain Bio. NB 3920 (Harris-Warrick) Darwinian Medicine Bio. NB 4270 (Sherman) Principles of Neurophysiology Bio. NB 4910 (Johnson) Hormones and Behavior Bio. NB 3220 (Adkins-Regan) Animal Communication Bio. NB 4260 (Bradbury/Vehrencamp) Computational Neuroscience Bio. NB 3300 (Linster) Introduction to Sensory Systems BIONB 3960 (Halpern) Neuroethology Bio. NB 4240 (Hopkins) Experimental Molecular Neurobiology Bio. NB 4300 (Deitcher)

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study Special Topics Courses • 4200 courses • 1, 2 credits one time only courses • Reviewing an important book, current topic, therapy, technique, Examples (2011) Bio. NB 4200 - Dis 203 Hopkins Neurobiology & Behavior Jounal Club for Undergraduates Bio. NB 4200, Dis 201 / Bio. NB 7200, Dis 201 – The Quest for Agelessness: Molecular Biology of Aging (Halpern) Bio. NB 4200 – The Neurobiology and Behavior of Music (Hoy, Wyttenbach)

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Bio. NB 299 Introduction to Research Bio. NB 499 Research in Neurobiology and Behavior Over half of the NBB concentrators (c. 70+ per year) do at least one semester of Bio. NB 499. Summer research (before junior or senior year) Honors program NSF REU program More than 20 years of HHMI support for summer research

Neurobiology and Behavior Program of Study STUDENTS: Average number of NBB graduates per year: 90 Average number of students enrolled in Bio. NB 2990 per semester (Intro to Research Methods in Biology): 16. 5 Average number of students enrolled in Bio. NB 4990 per semester (Independent Undergraduate Research in Biology): 42 Average number of students who complete honors theses per year: 15